'Downton Abbey 2' Has Just Been Announced And We Needed This

All our favorite cast members have signed on for the second film

There is no trailer and no word on the plot but there has officially been an announcement that Downton Abbey 2 is beginning production and will be released right before Christmas this year and, dammit, that’s enough.

The beloved period drama franchise, which began as a TV series and was then adapted into a 2019 film, is hitting the big screen again on December 22, Focus Features announced Monday. “We’re thrilled to announce that Julian Fellowes and the entire Downton cast are back for #DowntonAbbey2,” the company tweeted.”

Not only that, more of the original movie’s cast, which included Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern, Dame Maggie Smith, Imelda Staunton, and Penelope Wilton are also set to return.

But that’s not all. The second film also announced new cast members including Hugh Dancy (Homeland), Laura Haddock, Nathalie Baye, and Dominic West.

‘Downton Abbey 2’ will be written and directed by the same team as before.

Creator Julian Fellows is on point to write the film’s screenplay and produce it alongside Gareth Neame and Liz Trubridge. “After a very challenging year with so many of us separated from family and friends, it is a huge comfort to think that better times are ahead and that next Christmas we will be re-united with the much beloved characters of Downton Abbey,” Neame said in a release.

The first Downton Abbey film, which was released in September 2019 in both the U.K. and the U.S., picked up in 1927, a couple of years after the original show wrapped up, grossing nearly $100 million at the theaters. There haven’t been any sneak peaks into the plot yet, but if it’s anything like the first film, Downton Abbey 2 will continue to follow the Crawley family’s story and the Downton staff. We’ll just have to wait for the first trailer for more details.

All the speculation around a second film has finally been confirmed, after fans have been hearing buzz about a second film for months. “If you promise not to tell anyone, I’ll let you know that we’ve seen a script…The script for a second film is there. We’ve seen it, it’s very funny!” actor Jim Carter who plays Carson said. “It’s got all the same characters in, all the regular characters, and I think the will is – COVID willing – we’ll film it next year.”

Focus Features chairman Peter Kujawski added of the announcement: “There’s no place like home for the holidays, and we can’t imagine a better gift than getting to reunite with Julian, Gareth, and the entire Downton family in 2021 to bring the Crawleys back home for their fans.”

The original film’s plot revolved around a royal visit to the Crawleys from the King and Queen of England in 1927 and ended with a ball fit for royalty. It’s hard to imagine them outdoing the first film but we’re sure glad they’re going to try.